Rebecca Minkoff

You’d think that with all the pictures of handbags I see on a daily basis, I’d be good at visualizing their size without seeing them in person. And if you think that, you’d be wrong at least a good bit of the time. Maybe I should spent a little more time on my math (or science, or whatever subject taught you about the wonderful world of measurements) lessons in school, but if a site doesn’t offer pictures of its bags with models or on a model form, then I’m usually a bit clueless.

The Rebecca Minkoff Ibiza Mini Mini Bag says that it’s 9.5 inches wide, and that means only one thing to me – it’s not huge. Theoretically, it’s smaller than a Morning After Mini. So if it’s approximately the size that I’m imagining in my head, I think this is a bag that a lot of people that are uncomfortable with clutches would like. Everyone has that friend that refuses to carry a clutch, so then you have to jam her phone and keys into yours, and you just can’t stop thinking that she should BUY A FREAKIN’ BAG ALREADY every time you go out with her at night (ahem, my friend like this is named Candice). That friend of yours? She should buy this bag and carry her own stuff for once. And maybe yours too, because she owes you. Buy through ShopBop for $295.

I’ll admit it. The name of the Rebecca Minkoff Knocked Up Baby Bag made me giggle. I’m easily amused, obviously. But a little coarse humor in the name isn’t the only reason I like this bag – there are several. First and foremost, I’ve been looking for a nice diaper bag to write about for a while. Having a baby is a huge part of the life of any woman that chooses to do so, and it’s an event that’s known to sometimes drastically change a woman’s appearance. I think a lot of that is because the options for new mothers are limited – a cruise through Nordstrom’s sizable baby bag section revealed a dearth of truly fashionable options. Many had patterns that would be impossible to match with a reasonable outfit on an everyday basis, and most just kind of looked like cheap laptop bags. None of them seemed like bags I’d want to plunk down any cash for, and at the same time, I wouldn’t want to endanger a regular designer tote with bottles and diapers and other assorted possibly-nasty baby accouterments. So what’s a mom supposed to do but forgo all stylishness in an attempt to find something functional? Well, Ms. Minkoff thought of that. This bag is mostly nylon, and the price reflects that, which is great – nylon is a lot easier to clean than leather, and ease of cleaning is probably important in a bag like this. It’s also blissfully pattern-free, meaning it would match many things, and doesn’t immediately scream “BABY!!!” If you’re knocked up, you probably need one of these. Buy through ShopBop for $475.

So my pink-and-black Rebecca Minkoff offering from yesterday didn’t go over so well in the Purse Forum blog comments section, so I thought I’d try again with another Minkoff offering that I enjoy: the Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Clutch. I like this one for a specific reason, though: it reminds me of the neon 1980s excess of the Fall 2009 Marc Jacobs Ready-to-Wear Collection that I covered a few days ago. It’s a small bag with a long chain strap – something that was most popular a couple of decades back – and it uses the highlighter-pink color that so many designers have been incorporating into their collections this year. It’s trendy, sure, but who doesn’t need a super fun bag in their collection? Use the pink as a neutral – you’d be surprised how much it will go with once the weather warms up. Buy through Nordstrom for $325.

I dislike the following things: nylon bags, bicolor or multicolor bags, and pink. Generally speaking, all of those things make not only reticent to buy a bag, but also reticent to admit that I like it. For some reason, however, three negatives make a positive with the Rebecca Minkoff Nylon Morning After Mini. I should turn my nose up at it, based on what I already understand about my own personal taste. But the shade of dark pink (magenta, really) is lovely, it looks great with the always-reliable black, and the nylon doesn’t look cheap, at least in these pictures. Plus, it has a good bit of leather trim, rendering it slightly more luxe than your nylon bag. The more I look at it, the more I wonder if there are any all-leather bags in that magenta color coming out for this season, because it’s growing on me quickly. Who would have thought? Buy through Shop Bop for $375.

I’ve seen this handbag before, but just now decided to write about it. Although it is a little different than what I have grown accustomed to with Rebecca Minkoff, I really like this handbag. First of all, I really like the slouchy look and feel to the bag. The cognac suede with glazed pebbled leather contrast and silvertone hardware come together perfectly. I don’t know about you, but some materials do not go well together, fortunately, these do. Then add the buckle strap across the top and you have yourself an extra little something that really stands out. And of course, you will find amazing floral lining when you open the bag. One of the other really great things has to be the amount of use I could see this handbag getting. Where do you see yourself toting this handbag? Buy through Bluefly for $424.

We all love handbags. Hey, isn’t that why you are reading? Whether you are a fan of Chanel, CC Skye, Louis Vuitton or Linea Pelle, checking out what is new is always fun. I also love when designers step outside of the box and do something new. I was thrilled to see the Rebecca Minkoff Kerry Cosmetic Bag. Sure, this isn’t stepping too far outside of the box, but it probably isn’t something that comes to mind when you think of Rebecca Minkoff. I am definitely one of those girls who has had the same cosmetic bag for quite some time now. It is still in good shape but I could use a new one. This might have to be my next purchase. The gorgeous leather pouch with metallic logo lettering and gold hardware will hold all of my fabulous makeup in a fashionable way. I would like to see more designers put together fashionable cosmetic bags like this one. Buy through Shop Bop for $65.

So, how do you guys feel about blue and black? Like, as a color combination? Because I used to hate it, but now I kind of dig it. Kind of really dig it, actually. For some reason, I feel like it’s a bit more intellectual and sophisticated than merely pairing red and black or brown and blue. The slight but noticeable difference in the shades can be very attention-getting, and when done correctly, no one ever wonders whether or not you meant to do it or just got dressed in the dark and mistook the blue for its darker counterpart. A good example of the correct way to combine the colors is the Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini Combo Tote in the Navy Luxe/Black Quilted Patent combination. Not only do the leathers differ in color, but they differ widely in texture, forcing whoever sees your handbag to notice and think about the nontraditional combination you chose. Plus, although the leather is navy, it’s just light enough to not make anyone wonder whether it just faded differently than the patent. I’m not a huge fan of bicolor bags, but this one hits the perfect, modern note. Buy through Shop Bop for $595.

When it comes to clutches, I usually go the traditional route. I like your typical clutch with your typical features. I don’t really tend to like clutches with shoulder strap options. I guess I just like using a clutch the way I think it should be used. However, this Rebecca Minkoff Clutch is one with a shoulder strap option I might actually use! The wrinkled metallic leather clutch has a detachable chain strap that isn’t just functional but is also super chic. Now, I am a fan of blue – I love blue tops and blue handbags always seem to add a little “pop” to any ensemble. This clutch is no exception. Clearly, this shade of blue isn’t just any old blue – it is metallic and it is gorgeous. I think the great thing about the shoulder strap option is that it does give you the chance to use the handbag as a day time shoulder bag but take the strap off and you have an awesome clutch for a night out on the town. Rebecca Minkoff wows me again with this handbag. Buy through Shop Bop for $330.

So we’ve written about the Rebecca Minkoff Nikki Hobo like 80 bajillion times. I know. If you’re sick of hearing about the Nikki, skip this. I won’t be offended. The thing is, though, unlike most of the population, my favorite color is red (the vast majority of society prefers blue, according to my freshman psych professor a few years back). Great red handbags are super rare, since its color properties make it exceptionally hard to turn ANYTHING vividly red (anyone that has ever tried to paint a wall red, like I have, knows this very well. It takes like 4 coats of paint to get a solid, non-splotchy color. Even if you use nice paint. Which I didn’t. But I digress). The same thing applies to dying leather, apparently – most of the red bags you see are very muted, a bit brownish, and not particularly attractive. What Rebecca Minkoff has managed to do, however, is make a bag out of REAL LEATHER (it’s much easier to make bright red pleather) that is perfectly and truly red. And it’s also patent, but not so ridiculously patent that the combination of the color and the material become costume-y. Miss Minkoff has struck a perfect cord for me, and I’m seriously lusting after one of these red beauties. Buy through Shop Bop for $595.

Rebecca Minkoff MAB Luxe Bag

When we last interviewed Rebecca Minkoff, she let us know that their was a new version of the highly sought after Morning After Bag (bag lover lingo: MAB). So out comes the dressed up sister of the MAB, the Rebecca Minkoff MAB Luxe Bag. Why we love this bag? It offers the same cool appeal of the MAB with extra additions; like the snap-flap and patch pockets at the front. The other major perk is the additional shoulder drop, which totals 9″. This will easily fit over winter coats, which was sometimes a problem with the Morning After Bag. There is tab and stud detail at the front and back along with a spring clasp detail at the sides. Now all you need to do is pick a color; dark brown or navy? The choice is hard, but I am a girl who loves her blues so I am all for the Navy. Buy through Shop Bop for $630.